A Tap on the Glass - Vol. 106 - Leaving a Legacy

by Michael Darling

"If you're not getting what you want out of your life, you're not asking for it."

I sat munching on a sandwich as I read through my blogs the other night and this phrase, uttered by an (at the time) 80 year old public speaker named Allen Tate, who is a Realtor in North Carolina, struck a note…as these blogs are prone to do. Allen Tate’s materials has been on the web for a long time.

What a great example for most of any us out there battling the dragons every day!

Especially for anyone in the sales profession. We can all learn from his example and it brought to mind several other wonderfully descriptive phrases that could act as moral compasses in our daily battles:

It's not over until you say so. Forget about that fat lady, she’s got her own problems and a lousy attitude about things anyway. Who needs that? You're in charge of your days, not anyone else. Work 2 days a week or 7 days week. Your choice, but if you’re REALLY working you’re going to show up anybody else in the company with your efforts. And, you know what? You’ll do it consistently.

Passion and enthusiasm trump age. Allen discovered that secret many years ago. He says, "It's all about enthusiasm. Do what you love and love what you do." He's got the spark and zest of a 25-year -old...and it's contagious.

Age really is mind over matter. While he may not be in the best physical shape of his life, Allen Tate seems to be as sharp as ever and he refuses to second guess his ability to continue to contribute to his business, his family, and the community. Make no mistake, it's not Allen's monetary contributions that impress me - it's his work ethic, his business ethic, and his impactful message. There’s a lot of 40 year olds I know that don’t have the energy level of this 80 year old. Heck, I was getting tired just trying to keep up with his presentation!

Perseverance provokes prosperity. It boils down to some hard work, and an absolutely focused, unwavering pursuit of passion in your vocation. It takes guts and a lot of them. A willingness to take a risk, and an impenetrable belief system in what you do. But, you can do it IF you're willing to work your tail off. Allen was not an overnight success; he became a success as a result of years working both day and night. The key is to be diligent, work hard but work smart, and strive to be just a little bit better than your competition. You don’t have to be the first, you just have to be smarter. I’m frequently reminded of that by a phrase : “It’s the 2nd mouse that gets the cheese.”

You don't have to die to leave a legacy. Legacy is the culmination of your work, your impact, your message, and the feeling you create in others. Allen seems very much alive at age 80, and yet it’s clear his legacy is well-established. Every new accomplishment he has, every new meeting he does, every new project he works on simply adds to the memorable legacy Allen had already crafted. His words, his actions, his deeds, his philosophies, his contributions...will forever live within thousands he has inspired over the years. Wouldn’t you want to have that legacy?

That's a lot for an hour presentation. I think I've begun to understand why Allen's top realtors and closest colleagues call him "Mr. Tate".

What's your legacy?

Allen taught me that it's never too soon to begin to think about how you can impact your world. You don't have to change THE world, but you might want to think about improving YOUR world. You might want to think about how you can inspire the people in your world to do the same.

I've been thinking hard since the other night. I've been thinking about my legacy. Not the one that I'll leave, perhaps, when I eventually die; but about the one that I can leave now after every interaction I share with others.